The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of its first five miles of the Wekiva Parkway (State Road 429) on Thursday, July 27. The ceremony included remarks from area dignitaries highlighting the history and significance of this long-awaited mobility solution.
Sections 1A and 1B, totaling $102.6 million in construction costs, extend from where the State Road 429 currently ends at the Connector Road near US 441, to a new interchange at Kelly Park Road. The 5-mile stretch includes interchanges near US 441 at Connector Road and Kelly Park Road, along with bridges at Southfork Drive, Yothers Road, Ponkan Road and other locations.
Work began in the summer of 2015. This section of the parkway is expected to provide a much-needed alternative to local roads, including Plymouth Sorrento Road.
Wekiva Parkway Ribbon Cutting Video
About the Wekiva Parkway
The Wekiva Parkway is the first expressway in Central Florida to feature all electronic tolling for customer convenience and to keep traffic moving. A Section 1A toll gantry also features the eye-catching aesthetic features found throughout the project.
CFX is building five parkway sections totaling 10 miles and more than $271 million in construction costs. The entire $1.6 billion Wekiva Parkway will complete Central Florida’s beltway by 2021, while helping to protect the natural resources surrounding the Wekiva River.